Blister packs for drugs in tablet form or in the form of powder or liquid enclosed in a capsule normally incorporate at least one blister part, which consists of a set of interconnected foils covering each other. One relatively rigid foil is in most cases referred to as the base and comprises cavities, so-called open “blisters”, for accommodating a tablet or a capsule each, while the other foil, which is flat, is in most cases referred to as the lid and seals the opening of the cavities or blisters.
Blister packs can be accidentally damaged during transport or by being carried around in pockets, handbags etc. Such damage occurs frequently, especially if the lid foil is breakable. To avoid the accidental damage blister packs are normally stacked in a separate box or casing, which protects the blisters during transport and storage.
For dispensing a tablet or capsule from a blister, the user is required to push the pill or tablet through the rupturable lid foil. Some blister packs have a design that makes them difficult to open and others are intentionally more difficult to open in order to prevent or discourage small children from easily pushing pills out of the blister packs. These packs sometimes become very difficult for the average person to open. Further, also blister packs that are relatively easy for the average adult to open, can be difficult to open for handicapped, elderly people and people with arthritis and other hand impediments.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,513 relates to a pill-dispensing device for use in dispensing a capsule from a blister pack. The device comprises first and second members hinged to each other. A blister pack is introduced between the two members and a pusher element projecting from the first member pushes the capsule out from the blister when the first and second elements are closed. A device like this can be sold separately for use together with a blister pack. A drawback with this kind of device is that it is bulky and therefore not always suitable for the user to bring with him/her. Further, it does not protect the blister pack.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,010 discloses a container with a blister pack opener, which container is designed to receive a blister pack and is provided with a blister pack opener for puncturing the back foil of the blister pack to get access to the content of the blister. The blister pack opener is hinged to the container and has a toothed member for puncturing the back foil of the blister pack. When the back foil is punctured the dosage unit can be removed by a user pushing the dosage unit through the punctured backing foil. A major disadvantage of this device is that even if the blister is opened as the back foil is punctured the user still has to push out the content from the blister by using one or both hands.